COOL JAPAN PROPOSAL Cool Japan Movement Promotion Council Contents 2 Introduction 3 Designing Cool Japan 4 Cool Japan Mission 5 Japan, a Country That Provides Creative Solutions to the World’s Challenges 6 Three Steps to Achieving the Mission of Cool Japan:“ making Japan a Country that Provides Creative Solutions to the World’s Challenges” 7 Promoting Domestic Growth 8 Acquiring skills for active communication with people overseas 9 1 Hold Cool Japan classes that are enjoyable for children. 9 2 Improve the Cool Japan overseas study programs. 10 3 Promote broadcasting using an English sub-audio channel. 10 4 Create an English-speaking district where English is the official language. 11 Removing barriers to creativity and creating the trend of taking on challenges 12 1 Promote the active recruitment of young people by Japanese companies and generational succession. 12 2 Create a system of listeners to opinions on Cool Japan. 13 3 Encourage creativity through deregulation. 13 4 Establish a Cool Japan intellectual property consultation center. 14 Supporting free attempts and cooperation without being restricted by a hierarchical structure or past examples 15 1 Take on the challenge of new business based on creative cooperation among government offices. 15 2 Promote a platform for government office cooperation. 16 3 Support in-house entrepreneurs. 16 4 Support 100 new businesses that tackle issues facing Japan and the world. 17 Connecting Japan and Other Countries 18 Developing a better public image of Japan in the world 19 1 Establish Japan’s brand image and increase its overseas distribution. 19 2 Create a new slogan that will replace Cool Japan. 20 3 Disseminate the display of“ Designed in Japan.” 20 4 Review procurement to increase the government’s creativity. 21 Increasing the mobility of information and cultural products of Japan in the international community 22 1 Create Japan’s inbound web portal. 22 2 Translate signs at tourist sites into many languages with a pleasing appearance. 23 3 Support the translation of information given in Japanese. 24 Adopting overseas perspectives to discover the essential attractiveness of Japan 25 1 Appoint 100 partners who have an overseas perspective. 25 2 Appoint Japanese persons working in the world as ambassadors. 26 3 Understand and visualize the view of Japan from other countries, 26 and expectations from Japan. 4 Analyze the demands of foreign tourists. 27 Becoming Japan That Helps the World 28 Personalizing the issues facing Japan and the world 29 1 Visualize information on the issues facing Japan and the world. 29 2 Present the government’s open data and incorporate design into government documents. 30 Promoting industries through which Japan could contribute to the world in addressing such issues as environmental problems, a declining birthrate, and an aging population 31 1 Match problem-solving projects and creativity. 31 2 Create an environment for the commercialization of ideas that will contribute to the world. 32 3 Promote the overseas expansion of problem-solving businesses. 33 Delivering information on ancient Japanese philosophy that values sustainability and harmony 34 1 Build JAPAN LABO across Japan. 34 2 Hold international handicrafts festivals in Japan. 35 3 Build a Japan design museum. 35 4 Expand Japan’s cultivation of aesthetic sentiments enjoyed by children to the world. 36 Cool Japan Movement Promotion Council 37 Colophon Introduction For Japan to Win the World’s Sympathy What does it mean for Japan to win the sympathy of other countries? What more can Japan do now to create such a state? Japanese culture in recent years has been attracting the world’s attention more than befor e. Japanese cuisine is increasingly popular and has been listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, with sushi now being enjoyed worldwide. The creation of many innovative products by Steve Jobs, who studied Japanese Zen Buddhism, has helped to popularize Zen in many places in the United States. A study by Adobe Systems Inc. (Adobe State of Create Study, 2012) has named Tokyo and Japan as the world’s most creative city and country, respectively. This reflects the world acclaim and sympathy regarding Japanese culture and creativity, which undoubtedly works positively for Japan today. The Cool Britannia policy in the United Kingdom inspired Japan’s current policy that includes the Cool Japan movement. More than a decade has passed since the idea of Cool Japan was first proposed, became a Cabinet policy, and then gradually implemented in Japan. Meanwhile, the Cool Japan movement has not proven very effective in achieving its original purpose of winning the sympathy of other countries toward Japan. The broad concept of“ Cool Japan” covers all aspects of Japanese culture from subcultural products, such as manga and Japanimation, to traditional cultural heritage. This diversity makes it very difficult to understand the current concept of Cool Japan. This complex concept often invites criticism by the communities in each genre about Cool Japan not adequately understanding the various genres. The system of attracting attention from outside Japan is also inadequate, thus making it difficult to develop sympathy with the Cool Japan policy, despite the great interest in Japanese culture and recognition of Cool Japan. The government’s decision to make a significant investment has been made in light of Cool Japan Fund Inc. being established in 2013, and the hosting of 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, and now may be the appropriate time to reconsider the public perception of Cool Japan. Cool Japan is a national movement encouraging the Japanese people to fully exercise their voluntary creativity in the international community. The term“ creative” in this pro posal not only means the production of artwork and design work, but also the creativity of anyone that helps develop a business and new schemes, makes innovative attempts, and forms relationships that result in interaction. This proposal is expected to help Japan become a country that strongly supports its creativity and continues to develop businesses that can generate new values not only as a short-term, one-year policy, but also as a medium- to long-term vision of the Cool Japan policy. 2 Designing Cool Japan The Cool Japan Movement Promotion Council (hereinafter“ the Council”) has reconsidered the three principles̶what Cool Japan is all about (definition), what is the purpose of Cool Japan (mission), and what can be done with Cool Japan (action)̶based on the theme of“designing Cool Japan.” The Council has thus attempted to seek a clear basis of thinking to adopt when promoting Cool Japan in the future. Three topics for discussion for designing Cool Japan · What is Cool Japan? (definition) · What is the purpose of Cool Japan? (mission) · What can be done with Cool Japan? (action) While Cool Japan is a broad concept of expressing the attractiveness of At present, the image of“ Cool Japan” is packed with various charms 1 Japan to other countries, the Council began with basic discussions on re- 2 (elements) of Japan and rather disorderly, which makes it difficult to addressing the question of what Cool Japan is all about. determine the actual status. Disassembling and sorting elements into each category help identify the For example, giving two axes,“ innovation – tradition (historical time axis)” 3 genres of each element. 4 and“ beautiful – cute (sensory axis),” and plotting the elements on this diagram reveal the clear quality of the elements. In addition, the Council selected social issues in and outside Japan, and The Council also discussed specific actions to take with Cool Japan by 5 discussed the mission of Cool Japan relative to its purpose. 6 combining cultural elements and the mission. 3 COOL JAPAN MISSION Japan, a Country That Provides Creative Solutions to the World’s Challenges. 4 Japan, a Country That Provides Creative Solutions to the World’s Challenges Every Japanese person must have heard of the phrase,“ for the good of the world and the good of people.” Winning the world’s sympathy may be related to the virtue of working for others that the Japanese people have inherently possessed since ancient times. The Council’s discussions on Cool Japan revealed the potential of expressing our consideration fo r others in that Japan could offer helpful ideas, rather than one- sidedly promoting a cool Japan. During such discussions, the idea of “ Japan as a country that provides creative solutions to the world’s ch allenges” came up as the mission of Cool Japan. Japan successfully built a capitalist society through its high economic growth period, but now faces new social issues as the side effects of capitalism. Japan is fa cing such challenges as a super-aging society, loss of communities, as well as environmental and energy issues that many other countries will probably face in the near future. A population explosion is also ex pected to occur, which would only add to the growing burdens placed on energy and food supply, and the global environment. In such a situat ion, the issues that Japan faces ahead of the rest of the world will certainly arise in other countries. Could this situation be converted into an opportunity for Japan’s future success? Japan is a nation of innovation that has accepted and adopted various culture s of the world in its own way as an island nation, and continues to present new ideas to the world. Demonstrating the value of Japan fo r the world will be an essential public image that Japan delivers to the world. Japan’s future creativity will be rapidly developed by connecting its problem-solving skills as a pioneer in tackling ch allenges to its creative industries, and by devising various helpful innov ations for the world.